As anticipation rises for Fringe 2018, more and more shows are being added to the calendar, ensuring we may be on for another record-breaking year. Finalising their line-up is the Pleasance, with their usual mix of old and new faces, and the occasional previous barnstorming show returning for a victory lap.
Of the brand spanking new shows, Jayde Adams‘ The Divine Ms Jayde catches the eye, and not just for the fabulous hair in her promo pic. She’s been a favourite of our reviewers over her previous two shows, 31 and Jayde Adams is Jayded, so anticipation for the former Best Newcomer’s new is high, especially since she’s promising to go full diva.
We love a show title with a good pun, so hurrah for Matt Forde‘s Brexit through the Gift Shop, which sees the political comedian attempting to make sense of the unfolding shambles in his last show as an EU citizen.
Of the debut shows, Ciarán Dowd‘s character creation Don Rodolfo looks like a cracker. A ‘total butthead, a shameless libertine and the greatest swordsman the world has ever seen’, the BEASTS member looks to be skewering the current focus on toxic masculinity with the pointy end, while riffing on The Princess Bride. Inconceivable! Talking of Beasts, the much-loved sketch troupe return for four nights with the stoically Ronseal Best of BEASTS.
Also making their debut is American comedian Jacqueline Novak with How Embarrassing For Her. Find out what it’s like to be embarrassed by everything, except baring your soul to strangers!
Appearing for limited runs during the Fringe are such popular names as Seann Walsh, John Kearns, home-town boy Iain Stirling, Rachel Parris with three nights of musical comedy, and Colin Hoult’s brilliant creation Anna Mann is back for five evenings of Cheese and Sex.
Rachel Parris will also appear as part of There Will Be Cake, an all star improv troupe which also features Marcus Brigstocke, Pippa Evans and Paul Foxcroft. Other shows taking improv in new directions are Racing Minds with Aaaand Now For Something Completely Improvised, four comedians have to use their improvisational skills to solve a murder in Criminal, and Paul Foxcroft gets comedians to play Dungeons & Dragons in Questing Time.
Tickets for all shows are available through the Fringe website, or from www.pleasance.co.uk/.